The Atlanta Opera Blog

This blog post provides resources for educators, parents, students and the community to learn about opera. Intro to Opera Learn more about opera, visit Opera 101 on The Atlanta Opera website Check out the Opera 101 Educator Guide Visit the Met Guild for additional videos and activities Hansel and Gretel In accordance with Governor Kemp’s recent order to close schools through the end of the 2019-20 school year, The Atlanta Opera Studio Tour performances of Hansel and Gretel have been […]

What year/season were you a member of the Atlanta Opera Studio? 2016-2018 seasons! What made you want to audition for The Atlanta Opera? What pieces did you choose? I wanted to audition for The Atlanta Opera initially because I had worked with Tomer years before and knew what interesting, extraordinary productions he puts on the stage. The caliber of singers that come to Atlanta is so inspiring, and I wanted to learn from and be a part of that. I […]

It’s National Book Lovers Day! Find out what Atlanta Opera team members are reading, and get inspired to crack open one of their suggestions. We can’t all be Bill Gates or Barack Obama, but we can try. Happy reading! Holly Hanchey | Director of Marketing I am really into memoirs right now, and I finished the latest in my collection of real-life stories in about 24 hours, because I could not put it down. Educated by Tara Westover tells her […]

Originally from Dallas, Texas, baritone Jonathan Bryan will enter his second year as a Studio artist in the 2019-20 season. We caught up with him for #StudioSaturday to find out what he’s looking forward to in 19-20, his favorite place for good eats in ATL, and his advice for Studio newbies. What have you been up to this summer? This summer, I’m returning to The Glimmerglass Festival for my second summer as a young artist with the company. I’m singing […]

by Noel Morris Last year, there were 867 performances of La traviata worldwide. It was by far the most performed opera. And with ravishing music amplifying a powerful, character-driven story, it’s no surprise. A hundred years ago, audiences most likely viewed Violetta Valéry as a disreputable woman who was curiously and uncomfortably compelling. For them, La traviata was a tale of redemption. Today, people admire Violetta. She has fortitude and an astonishingly benevolent spirit in the face of a nauseatingly […]

The Atlanta Opera: What is your vocal part, and how long have you sung with The Atlanta Opera Chorus? Chris Hawkins: I am a bass, and this year marks 30 years in The Atlanta Opera Chorus! I have participated in 85 productions with the chorus with this La traviata being the 76th mainstage production. TAO: Where did you grow up and how did you get into music? CH: I am a rare breed: I’m an Atlanta native and I’ve lived […]

By Noel Morris Maria de Buenos Aires is a show about a forgotten music, a forgotten dance, and a forgotten people. Cast in the gauzy hues of surrealistic poetry, the show explores the social conditions that gave rise to the tango. Not unlike hip-hop in our own country, the tango was a product of communities in distress. Initially dismissed as vulgar and immoral (dancing in an embrace was considered indecent), the tango followed an unlikely journey, traveling from the slums […]

By Noel Morris Eugene Onegin still surprises audiences for what it’s not: there’s no melodrama; it’s not exotic. It’s not a spectacle, nor is it action-packed. “How glad I am to be free of Egyptian princesses, pharaohs, poisonings, and stilted effects of all kinds,” the composer quipped. For Tchaikovsky, this was an opportunity to “convey through music everyday, simple, universally human emotions, far removed from anything tragic or theatrical.” By 1877, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was among the most celebrated composers […]

The Atlanta Opera: What is your vocal part, and how long have you sung with the Atlanta Opera Chorus? Christopher S. Connelly: I am a baritone. I have sung for 22 years, this is my 47th production. AO: Where did you grow up and how did you get into music? CSC: I grew up outside of Philadelphia. Our parish priest was from Ireland, and he would give me a dime every time I sang an Irish folk song for him. […]

By Noel Morris On Nov. 5, 1977, Patrick and Eddie Sonnier shot two teenagers in the head, three times each. Eddie was sentenced to life in prison; his older brother, Patrick, died in the electric chair. In 1982, in the months leading to his execution, Patrick began exchanging letters with Sister Helen Prejean of the Sisters of St. Joseph Medaille. She became his spiritual adviser and walked with him to his execution in what proved to be a transformative experience […]